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From: Black_Raven_76
Date: 04-28-2005, 02:24 PM (1 of 12)
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Hello to all! Am I the only one who has noticed the desperate lack of maternity sewing patterns? and how lots the maternity patterns which are available look like they are tents you might house your camel in?? What I really need is to learn how to adjust regular patterns to maternity fit. Anyone have any ideas, questions, comments? |
User: Black_Raven_76
Member since: 04-28-2005 Total posts: 4 |
From: ms123
Date: 04-29-2005, 11:00 AM (2 of 12)
| Hi- I think Sew News had an article last year about converting regular patterns to maternity. Maybe someone else will recall, but I'd try their website. Hope this helps. |
User: ms123
Member since: 04-30-2003 Total posts: 7 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-01-2005, 03:07 AM (3 of 12)
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Generally there is a lack of clothing patterns that are useful in every category. It is very hard to find a pattern a teen would use that would fit most school dress codes right now (of course, it isn't just the pattern companies that aren't supplying this need.) You need to write e-mails to the big 3 pattern companies and let them know this is a problem. Unfortunately, you probably won't see a solution during this pregnancy. We as seamstresses need to purchase more clothing patterns and tell them we want more because they are catering where they think we want the patterns...mostly on crafts and home dec...which is wonderful but how often are we going to change those drapes once they are made and how many costumes are we going to wear? How many daily garments are we going to change in the meantime? If we don't ask and we don't buy, this is a trend that will continue. The catalogs aren't half the size they used to be and they are more than half costumes, crafts and home dec...we are really loosing ground! In the meantime, we need to pass our crafts on to our children and other interested friends before the craft is gone. Someone told me the other day how much better he thought that we have it for sewing than our grandparents...because their machines we so "feeble" compared to ours. They gave us a great gift. Who do you think passed the craft down to us...and what is feeble about some of those machines. Who passed on the ideas that developed the technology to give us great machines? They layed an excellent framework for us...we need to continue before it is gone. I take great pride in seeing my lovely dd's and gd clothed in things I have made! Just my 2 cents.... pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: sable
Date: 05-02-2005, 01:39 AM (4 of 12)
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I actually contacted a couple of the pattern companies regarding the lack of modern shapely maternity patterns available. In particular I suggested patterns for nice jeans (below bump and ribbing options), and also a nice swimsuit pattern. I got no response at all from Simplicity/New Look, but Kwik sew did say they would look at it. I don't know if they have, and I think that their CEO passed on shortly afterwards so that may have delayed things too. I would suggest other people also contact these places (via websites) as they won't realise there is a demand unless we tell them! I did end up altering a Burda hipster jeans pattern to get the jeans I wanted. I dropped the front slightly and cut it a bit bigger around the hip area and used a stretch denim. Worked really well until the last month (at that point nothing seems to be comfortable or to fit properly anyway!) |
User: sable
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 76 
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From: Pudge99
Date: 05-02-2005, 10:06 AM (5 of 12)
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If I was going to ask someone to make a pattern this is who I would ask. Elizabeth Lee (http://www.elizabethlee.com/). She makes wonderful nursing patterns and many of them also have instructions for how to make them for maternity and normal (non-nursing/non-pregnant). I can't find the words to tell you how wonderful her patterns are. It seems each pattern has a sewing lesson hidden inside it. Not to mention if you have a question, quite often your answer comes dirrectly from the pattern designer herself. You are not gonna get that from the "big 3". Gina
Pictures of my successes and failures Pfaff 2040 Janome Mylock 134D Singer Futura CE-100 w/ Autopunch Husqvarna Viking 3D Sketch |
User: Pudge99
Member since: 10-30-2001 Total posts: 1375 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-02-2005, 12:42 PM (6 of 12)
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What a great site!
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: pucktricks
Date: 05-03-2005, 11:30 AM (7 of 12)
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I liked some of the Vogue patterns (unfortunately by the time I'd gotten the outfit done, I'd outgrown it, the problem of being pregnant with twins, but it was an adorable outfit). Okay, so looking at their website, they've discontinued all of the ones I liked, but they do still have a few that were nice. And, it's photographs of models rather than design sketches, so it's easier to see if it will really look like the picture. Ticia |
User: pucktricks
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 570 
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From: paroper
Date: 05-03-2005, 12:20 PM (8 of 12)
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Well, seeing is believing is true to a point. While it helps with draping, length, necklines (esp. necklines), it is not necessarily true for fit. A few years ago I made a 27 dresses for a high school choir from a Simplicity design. The photo in the pattern catalog showed a lovely fitted dress with a drop waist (3" below waistline) gathered skirt, short sleeves, v-back, scalloped neckline, and sleeves. There were actually two patterns in the same catalog at the time that were almost the same. I carefully took measurments and made pattern adjustments according to the widths printed on the pattern, allowing for a nice fitted ease. When the dresses were made, they were horrible. The dresses were NOT fitted, the measurments on the pattern were not correct, at the waist they were off by 4 inches per size! In addition, if I had used the pattern according to the pattern measurments given, the dresses would have been off by 8 inches. It was a terrible disaster! Because of the quantity of dresses, they had been made in pretty much assembly line fashion...so I had a huge fitting problem! I called Simplicity very upset and asked how this could happen when the picture was ON the envelope! They said that they pin the dresses on the models for pictures and they'll pin according to what looks good, regardless of the cut of dress...so, at least with Simplicity, you need to carefully look and measure. I've never had any other pattern from any other pattern company that was so badly misrepresented either by picture or measurments! (I've never yet had a problem with Vogue at all.) pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: pucktricks
Date: 05-03-2005, 02:52 PM (9 of 12)
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WOW! I hadn't realized that, and hadn't run into significant problems yet with fitting for myself (with the exception of the shoulder area), but had in making stuff for other people. That's pretty frustrating of them. Ticia |
User: pucktricks
Member since: 03-31-2004 Total posts: 570
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From: mommydionne
Date: 05-03-2005, 07:56 PM (10 of 12)
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I've had that problem with Simplicity before, thier maternity stuff is TERRIBLE, if you can go vogue, much better fit, I mainly altered regular patterns, little more room in the bust and tush and added a belly bump. there was a thread about 9 months ago on this too. I also traced off a pair of maternity pants I liked (old navy I think) and used that a lot as my sloper and added flares, funky fabric etc, they were cut well and were not so voluminous I felt lost in them.
Jeanette
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User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004 Total posts: 838 
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From: paroper
Date: 05-04-2005, 12:07 AM (11 of 12)
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The best maternity pants I had were made with slides in the sides. They made it through two pregnancies...one with twins (great stuff). If you can find the hardware (plasticware) for those, they would be wonderful to add to your pants or skirt patterns. I also had some that had plain old elastic that moved like the slides that did pretty well. I don't remember how I adjusted them though....they may have had buttons in the elastic. (After twenty years and having teens, it's a wonder I can remember anything.)
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: LeapFrog Libby
Date: 05-07-2005, 12:50 PM (12 of 12)
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If you are interested in comfort, I can give you the way patterns were , back in 'the old days'. LOL . My sons are 44 and 38, so that tells you how long ago.. MY favorite for fit and comfort were the skirts and pants that had the cutout in front for the belly.. Then you had to attach a ribbon at the center of the bottom of the U and on each side at the top of the U.. The centered had several adjustments in a looped top which looped over one of the side ribbons.. Then you either tied or buttoned the two side ribbons together across the belly. (when all connected and secured looked like a capital T.) This was the easiest way to construct and certainly the most comfortable to wear.. You just had to cut a matching facing to the U when you were making the skirt or pants.. This way you could still have a perfect fit in the back and hip area..(and even in the front , the skirt and pants hang better)..If you would make one from scrap fabric first, I bet one would sell you on the method.. As far as I'm concerned, they looked much better than some of the garments I see nowadays..
Sew With Love
Libby |
User: LeapFrog Libby
Member since: 05-01-2002 Total posts: 2022 
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